Digital Circle Elections

February 17, 2009

Thanks to whoever it was who nominated me for the Digital Circle Steering Group. My and the other names now go forward to election. But nomination in itself carries responsibilities and among them the most important is the CV. That balance of fact and modest ambition while trying not to be too po-faced and having to write in the 3rd person which is always weird. And trying not to name drop left right and centre, too. The CV will appear on the Digital Circle Website soon. So I thought I should post it here, too.

One thing I can’t say in the CV – “Available For Hire from March 2009” – call me …

In March 2009, Davy Sims will mark 30 years working fulltime in Media.

Starting as a presenter in Downtown Radio where he championed new and experimental local music, he moved to BBC in 1986 where he launched The Bottom Line – later renamed Across the Line.

Just over half his 22 years in BBC was as a Radio Producer in Radio Ulster, Radio 1 and Radio 4. He produced the first ever BBC radio programmes on computers and the internet “Cyberphobia” and was contributor on Radio Ulster and Radio 2 on “The Web”.

In 1999 he became the first Online Producer in BBC Northern Ireland where he launched a range of sites within the BBC NI portfolio. Within 18 months Davy became Editor New Media where he further developed the department and portfolio to include Web, Interactive TV, Mobile, Communities (real and virtual) and activities around the digital divide (BBC Bus). His responsibilities expanded beyond Northern Ireland into helping lead the change BBC’s Web 2 Strategy, and in particular the development of Message Boards platforms and management, Blogs and Social Navigation and Networking across BBC.

Leaving the BBC in August 2008 he entered the wonderful world of the freelance producer and media consultant. Davy’s clients range across broadcasting, publishing, charities/voluntary sector, public sector, marketing and communications. He is developing several sites and blogs. One site is aimed at selling Northern Ireland abroad and one blog is www.gaelgames.com a Podcast about Gaelic Games.

Davy has been a member of the Digital Circle Steering Group since just after its inception. He produced the Digital Circle podcasts.

His own personal and professional objectives include helping and supporting new talent and he as a long track record in the area including giving early opportunities to journalistic, presentation and music talent while in Radio and spotting and supporting a number of small digital business and individuals in the digital industries in Northern Ireland.

Where finance has been available he has always been keen on finding new ways of working and delivering creative ideas and production.

His personal and professional network extends into the UK, Ireland and Europe, but is now beginning to develop links in North America.

Davy stills sees himself as a Content Producer; he can’t design a straight line and an only read code a little bit – but can’t write it. His focus is on The Content and most importantly The Audience. His biggest audience was 19 million listeners for the first Radio 1 Green Week; his smallest is the few people who occasionally visit davysims.co.uk (which at time of writing has an Alexa rank of 9,027,497 – down almost 3,000,000 from last week. So not very popular, then).

Davy has a strong belief that the digital industry in Northern Ireland can achieve remarkable results providing that the industry is results focused and works as one big organisation when needed and as small innovative organisations and businesses when appropriate.